Who Were the Pharisees — In Biblical Context
The Pharisees were a Jewish religious sect devoted to strict law observance who often clashed with Jesus over their hypocrisy and man-made traditions.
The Pharisees were a Jewish religious sect devoted to strict law observance who often clashed with Jesus over their hypocrisy and man-made traditions.
"Ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones." — Matthew 23:27 (KJV)
The Biblical Context
The Pharisees ('separated ones') were a prominent Jewish sect in Jesus' day. They believed in the resurrection, angels, and the authority of both written and oral law (Acts 23:8). Their zeal for the law was commendable — Paul himself was 'a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee' (Acts 23:6). However, Jesus reserved His harshest criticism for their hypocrisy. In Matthew 23, He pronounced seven 'woes' against them: they laid heavy burdens on others but didn't lift a finger themselves (v.4); they practiced religion for show (v.5); they tithed herbs but neglected justice, mercy, and faith (v.23); they were 'whitened sepulchres' — clean outside, corrupt within (v.27). They elevated human traditions above God's commandments (Mark 7:8-9). They plotted Jesus' death because He threatened their authority and exposed their hearts. Yet not all Pharisees opposed Jesus — Nicodemus (John 3) and Joseph of Arimathea (Mark 15:43) were sympathetic, and Paul's Pharisaic background was transformed by grace.
Where It Sits in Scripture
The core passage for this question, Matthew 23:27, sits inside Matthew 23. To grasp the full meaning, read the surrounding paragraph — the verses before set up the thought, the verses after carry it forward.
"Ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones."
Supporting Passages
"Ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith."
"Laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men."
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